AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori is close to leaving the club on a free transfer next summer after failing to agree a new contract.

The 28-year-old England centre-back has been unable to reach an agreement with the Rossoneri, with negotiations reportedly at an impasse. The development was reported on insider Nicolo Schira’s account.

Tomori has been with AC Milan since the summer of 2021. His current transfer value is estimated at 10m euros.

The defender made 33 Serie A appearances last season, providing two assists. He was booked six times and sent off once.

Medical tests have confirmed that Milan defender Gabbia has suffered an injury to the muscle in his left thigh, including partial damage to the tendon. The setback is expected to keep him out for the remainder of 2026, leaving Milan’s defence facing a serious shortage of options, according to derbyderbyderby.it.

Milan must now decide between two treatment plans. Conservative care, involving rest and rehabilitation, would offer a shorter recovery period but carries less certainty. The alternative is surgery, a more extensive intervention that could provide a longer-term solution.

Gabbia has since posted an emotional message on social media, thanking his family, friends and team-mates for their support. He also promised to return to the San Siro as soon as possible, while confirming that his 2026 season is over.

Donyell Malen has expressed regret after being sent off for the first time in his club career during the latest round of the Italian championship.

The Roma forward said he “did not want to hurt anyone” after receiving the red card. The incident has left the Netherlands international feeling uncomfortable.

Malen joined Roma at the beginning of January. Before moving to the Italian club, he played in both the German and English leagues.

French defender Andy Diouf says Cristian Chivu is the most important coach of his career.

Diouf has played for Inter since 2025 and was part of the squad that won the Italian championship last season.

Inter’s latest result, however, was a setback as they were beaten 4-3 by Belgian club Club Brugge in the Champions League.

AC Milan winger Alexis Saelemaekers has undergone successful surgery on his right ankle after sustaining an injury while on international duty with Belgium.

The Italian club confirmed the operation on its official website, while local media reports say the 27-year-old is expected to be sidelined for about three months and will not be available to AC Milan again in 2026.

Saelemaekers has been with AC Milan since 2020. He has made five appearances in all competitions this season and has provided one assist.

AC Milan have won three and drawn three of their Serie A matches this season. They currently sit fifth in the table.

Juventus have appealed to Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation in an attempt to overturn a ruling requiring the club to pay Cristiano Ronaldo 9.8 million euros in unpaid wages, according to Football Italia.

The dispute dates back five years, when Ronaldo left Juventus and returned to Manchester United. It concerns an agreement to defer salary payments during the coronavirus pandemic.

Media reports said Juventus had committed to paying the Portugal international 19.5 million euros. Ronaldo subsequently sought the full amount, but an arbitration panel ruled in April 2024 that he should receive approximately half of the sum he had originally claimed.

The arbitrators did not find that Juventus had deliberately misled the player.

Juventus challenged that decision, but a court rejected the club’s appeal in January 2026, leaving the original ruling in place. The club has now taken the case to Italy’s highest judicial authority.

The latest appeal was confirmed by Juventus in its financial report for the 2025-26 season. No date has yet been set for the hearing.

Venezia have dismissed head coach Giovanni Stroppa, becoming the fourth Serie A club to change manager during the 2026/27 season.

The club confirmed Stroppa’s departure on its official website after Venezia lost 3-1 to Atalanta. Following six rounds of matches, Venezia are bottom of the Serie A table with no points.

Despite the team’s poor start, Venezia thanked Stroppa for his work and recognised his role in guiding the club to promotion to Serie A at the end of last season.

The September managerial changes at Serie A clubs also included Fiorentina, Bologna and Parma.

Venezia have dismissed head coach Giovanni Stroppa after losing their opening six Serie A matches, leaving the club bottom of the table without a point.

The club confirmed the decision on Tuesday, bringing an end to Stroppa’s time in charge after a winless start to the season.

Stroppa, a former AC Milan midfielder and Italy international, was appointed by Venezia in June last year. He guided the club back to Italy’s top flight after a one-season absence, securing promotion with a first-place finish in Serie B.

In a statement, Venezia thanked Stroppa and his coaching staff for their work during their time with the club.

“The club would like to thank Giovanni Stroppa and his staff for their work, professionalism, dedication and commitment throughout their time with the arancioneroverde,” the club said.

Italian media reports say Paolo Zanetti and Davide Nicola are among the candidates being considered to replace Stroppa.

Venezia’s next match is at home against eighth-placed Napoli on Saturday.

Former AC Milan striker Mbaye Niang has begun a new chapter of his career in France after signing for Ligue 2 club Dunkerque.

The 31-year-old ended his contract with Genclerbirligi several weeks ago and became a free agent before agreeing a deal with Dunkerque.

Niang, who has also played in Italy, Turkey and Morocco during his career, said: “Ligue 2 suits me better than AC Milan.”

Dunkerque are currently 11th in the Ligue 2 table.

Andrea Belotti scored the winning goal as Modena completed an unlikely comeback to beat their opponents 3-2 and claim three important points in Emilia.

The centre-forward settled an extraordinary match at the Stadio Braglia, but his goal carried significance beyond its impact on the league table.

Belotti has now scored in consecutive league matches for the first time since 2022, when he was still playing for Torino. It is a feat that had eluded him for four years.

The 32-year-old’s career has taken a different path from the one many expected a decade ago, when he was even receiving call-ups to the Italy national team.

Milan will be without central defender Matteo Gabbia for an unspecified period after medical tests confirmed he has suffered a muscle injury.

Gabbia went down while attempting to win the ball from an opponent, immediately raising concerns about the condition of the Italy international.

The club has confirmed the injury, but has not yet provided a timescale for his recovery or indicated when he might return to action.

Milan drew with Sassuolo on the previous day.

Atalanta beat Venezia 3-1 in the final match of the sixth round of the Italian championship.

The result was assessed by Atalanta manager Maurizio Sarri, who said: “The first half was good, the second was not so much.”

Atalanta’s next Serie A fixture is against Milan.

Giovanni Stroppa admitted he was responsible for Venezia’s 3-1 defeat by Atalanta, a result which has increased pressure on the head coach after a poor start to the season.

Venezia have suffered six defeats and have yet to win, with Stroppa facing growing criticism over the team’s performances. The loss to Atalanta has intensified speculation that he could become the first managerial departure in Serie A this season.

“I am responsible for the defeat,” Stroppa said after the match.

The Venezia manager defended the way his players performed but made no attempt to hide his disappointment with the result.

Venezia’s next match is against Napoli, with Stroppa’s position under further scrutiny.

Torino secured three points with a 2-1 victory over Udinese in the sixth round of the Italian championship.

The hosts took the lead in the 36th minute when Daniel Braganca finished a Torino attack to put his side ahead.

Udinese responded before half-time, with Jurgen Ekkelenkamp equalising in the 43rd minute to leave the teams level at the break.

Torino restored their advantage 22 minutes after the restart. Sandro Kulenovic found the net in the 67th minute to make it 2-1.

This time, Torino held on to their lead and saw out the remainder of the match without conceding, securing victory in front of their home supporters.

Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has criticised the behaviour of Cagliari defender Yerry Mina following their recent Serie A match, describing it as unsporting.

“In some situations, we should be better protected,” Spalletti said.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Mina is known for provoking opponents and attempting to unsettle them during matches. The Colombia defender may celebrate winning a corner directly in front of an opponent or go to ground after minimal contact.

The report says Mina is adept at provoking opposition players before portraying himself as the victim.

Mina has played for Cagliari since 2024. His previous clubs include Barcelona, Everton and Fiorentina.

Torino secured their second Serie A victory of the season with a 2-1 win over Udinese, ending a run of three successive defeats against them in this fixture.

Daniel Braganca gave Torino the lead after 36 minutes, but Jurgen Ekkelenkamp equalised before half-time for Udinese. The hosts regained control in the second half when goalkeeper Maduka Okoye made a costly error, allowing substitute Sandro Kulenovic to score into an empty net.

The result moved Ignazio Abate’s side three points clear of the relegation zone. Torino will aim to make it successive league victories when they visit Parma next weekend, while Udinese host Lecce hoping to end a run of four consecutive defeats.

Chances were scarce during a subdued opening between two teams struggling for form. Giorgi Chakvetadze, the former Watford midfielder, went closest early on, but his effort was stopped by strong defending from Saul Coco.

Udinese continued to offer little threat, while Torino struggled to create a clear opportunity until Gaetano Oristanio’s effort was blocked shortly before the half-hour mark. Unai Gomez then headed wide, before Oier Zarraga fired over from distance.

Torino finally broke the deadlock when Che Adams’ improvised volley struck the post. The rebound fell to Braganca inside the six-yard box and he made no mistake, giving Torino the lead for the first time in a Serie A match this season.

Their advantage lasted only until the final stages of the first half. A ricochet inside the area fell to Ekkelenkamp, who had scored the winner in Udinese’s 2-1 victory in this fixture last season. The midfielder responded with a low left-footed finish into the bottom corner.

The equaliser meant Torino had conceded in 11 successive league matches, matching the unwanted run they recorded in 2020.

Torino restored their lead midway through the second half after an extraordinary mistake by Okoye. The Nigeria international came to the edge of his penalty area to head away a long ball, but collided with his own defender Nicolo Bertola. The loose ball went directly to Kulenovic, who calmly passed it into the unguarded net.

The hosts pushed for a third, with Kulenovic shooting wide and Emirhan Ilkhan forcing a good save from Okoye. Giovanni Simeone also tested the Udinese goalkeeper, but Torino had already done enough to secure the points.

Ekkelenkamp was named Flashscore Man of the Match despite ending on the losing side.

Nico Paz says Cesc Fabregas has been central to his development after the Argentina international made a strong start to the 2026-27 season with Como.

The 22-year-old has emerged as one of Serie A’s most exciting young players since joining the Italian club, where he has worked under former Spain international Fabregas.

Como signed Paz permanently from Real Madrid in the summer for a reported €60 million. The agreement also removed the €9 million buy-back option included in the previous deal between the clubs.

Paz has made seven appearances across all competitions so far this season, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

Speaking to UEFA’s official channels in comments reported by Tuttomercatoweb, Paz described the influence Fabregas has had on his career and reflected on his move away from Real Madrid.

“He taught me practically everything,” Paz said.

“I arrived here as a young player from Castilla. I’d played a few games for Real Madrid, but in the end I was a reserve-team player in a lower division.”

Paz said the opportunity to play regularly in Italy’s top flight had helped him develop away from the Spanish club.

“Coming here and playing in Serie A, the top flight, allowed me to grow and improve a lot, both as a player and as a person,” he added.

He also credited Fabregas with trusting him from the outset and allowing him to play with freedom.

“It was all thanks to Cesc, who believed in me and brought me here. From the first day he let me play the way I wanted and gave me a lot of freedom,” Paz said.

“He taught me a lot. I think the player I am today is all down to him.”

Atalanta ended a run of three successive Serie A defeats by beating Venezia 3-1 at the Gewiss Stadium, extending their unbeaten league record against the visitors to eight matches.

The result means Atalanta have won seven and drawn one of those meetings. It also ensured they avoided a fourth consecutive defeat, something they had not suffered since January 2016.

They made the ideal start, taking the lead inside three minutes. Nikola Krstovic threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the Venezia defence for Franck Kessie, who ran beyond the back line before delicately lifting the ball over Filip Stankovic.

Krstovic soon exchanged provider for scorer. Eljif Elmas delivered a corner into the area and the forward rose to head the ball beyond Stankovic, giving the hosts a two-goal advantage.

Venezia’s goalkeeper then kept the deficit from growing when he saved Charles De Ketelaere’s effort with both hands.

Atalanta did find a third shortly after the half-hour mark. Stankovic could only parry Jonathan Rowe’s shot, and Krstovic reacted quickest to fire the rebound into the net from close range and complete his brace.

Venezia pulled one back late in the first half with their first meaningful opportunity. Richie Sagrado’s cross picked out Antoine Hainaut, who nodded the ball into the net.

Davide Zappacosta went close to restoring Atalanta’s three-goal lead before the interval, but his effort went wide as the home side went into the break ahead.

The visitors began the second half positively and threatened again when Hainaut’s delivery found Akor Adams. His header took a deflection and was diverted over the crossbar by Thomas Kristensen.

Kike Perez also tested Atalanta from distance, but Marco Carnesecchi was able to keep out his attempt. Venezia continued to search for a second goal, with John Yeboah using his pace to break clear of the defence before shooting straight at Carnesecchi.

Atalanta remained dangerous despite the pressure and Krstovic came close to completing a hat-trick, only for Stankovic to deny him and preserve Venezia’s hopes of a comeback.

The hosts were reduced to 10 men late in the match when Elmas was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Thorir Johann Helgason. Venezia could not take advantage, however, as Atalanta negotiated the closing stages without further trouble.

The victory moves Atalanta on to nine points in Serie A and offers Maurizio Sarri’s side a much-needed lift ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Conference League meeting with Pafos.

Venezia remain at the foot of the table, without a point from their opening six matches.

Nikola Krstovic was named Flashscore Man of the Match.

Atalanta secured a 3-1 victory over Venezia in the sixth round of the Italian championship after scoring all three of their goals before half-time.

The hosts made an outstanding start and took the lead after only four minutes, when Franck Kessie found the net.

Atalanta doubled their advantage three minutes later. Nikola Krstovic capitalised on his side’s strong opening to make it 2-0.

Krstovic struck again in the 31st minute to complete his brace and put Atalanta firmly in control at 3-0. Venezia faced a difficult task to recover from the deficit.

The visitors responded six minutes later, with Antoine Hainaut reducing the arrears to two goals in the 37th minute.

There were no further goals after the interval, allowing Atalanta to complete a 3-1 win.

Kevin De Bruyne has rediscovered the form that made him one of Europe’s outstanding midfielders after being restricted by a serious muscle injury last year.

The 35-year-old has impressed for both Napoli and Belgium over the past month, with his latest display a two-goal performance in Napoli’s 3-0 win over Frosinone on Saturday.

The quality of the opposition should be considered, but De Bruyne’s influence was clear. Operating as a deep-lying playmaker, he had 71 touches and completed 77.2% of his passes, while scoring the opening and closing goals.

He converted a penalty with his usual composure after Rasmus Hojlund had missed from the spot, and also helped Stanislav Lobotka control Napoli’s passing game.

The performance continued an impressive start to the season. De Bruyne has scored three goals and provided one assist in six appearances for Napoli, while he has two goals and one assist in three Nations League matches for Belgium. He was decisive against both Italy and Turkey.

His two goals against Turkey recalled his Manchester City peak, with one coming from a powerful effort from distance and the other from an inside-foot free-kick near the edge of the penalty area.

It was the first time De Bruyne had scored consecutive braces, a rare achievement in his career. Opta data shows he has produced only 12 multi-goal games in the top five European leagues, with the previous occasion coming in April of 2024, when Manchester City played Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

A key figure for Napoli

De Bruyne’s revival has come at a crucial point for Massimiliano Allegri, who will need his experience and creativity when Napoli visit Villarreal in the Champions League.

His vision and technical ability make him indispensable, even though he is no longer as physically fresh as he was five years ago. The absence of Frank Anguissa and Scott McTominay’s return increase his importance further.

De Bruyne’s own European campaign with Napoli was severely disrupted last season. He was withdrawn midway through the first half on his return to the Etihad after Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off in the opening League Phase match.

He later produced two assists for Hojlund in a 2-1 victory over Sporting at the Maradona, but a thigh injury then ruled him out. Napoli subsequently struggled in Copenhagen, with their play-off hopes left badly damaged.

Recovering at home, De Bruyne watched as his team-mates surrendered both a lead and a numerical advantage after Thomas Delaney was sent off in the 35th minute. McTominay had put Napoli ahead shortly afterwards.

Now Napoli’s visit to Villarreal offers De Bruyne an opportunity to repair some of that damage. Napoli lost their opening home match to an Arsenal side they could not break down, but they have enjoyed important memories at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

During the 2011-12 season, a 2-0 victory secured by Gokhan Inler and Marek Hamsik sent Napoli into the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time.

Napoli have won two Scudetti in the past four seasons and are operating at a higher level, although they are not yet among Europe’s elite. De Bruyne was signed to raise the club’s profile and stature.

At 35, he now has the chance to show that he can still decide major matches on the continent.